Hopefully your a fan of a major league baseball team that is hanging around in the pennant race can be a legitimate World Series contender. With the addition of the two wild card spots there are always more teams looking to get into the playoffs than there use to be. Now the question for your favorite team is will they go out and add what they need to contend and the one thing it seems every major league team needs is starting pitching. Major it’s a front of the rotation type of guy or just a guy who can keep you in games at the back of the rotation and eat up some innings every team seems to need some help with starting pitching. Of course there are some decisions a team has to make before they go out and acquire a starter.
There are a couple of guys who could be available that are #1 starters on their current team, but could fit nicely into the #2 role behind a contending teams ace. Of course these type of pitchers aren’t going to come cheap; so your favorite team will need a deep minor league system to supply the prospects it will take to secure a pitcher like that in a trade. I’m thinking that it could take three or maybe even four top prospects to land one of these pitchers and that of course is if their team is interested in moving them.
It appears as though there aren’t too many teams if any who can go three deep in their rotation with a lot of confidence; not that they’ll admit that. So maybe your favorite team can get by just adding a middle of the rotation guy. Obviously you wouldn’t have to give up as much in a trade for one of these pitchers as you would for that top of the rotation guy. It could take one top prospect or maybe two of three lower tier prospects to add a middle of the rotation starter.
And finally maybe your favorite team could just a veteran back of the rotation type of pitcher to get by with. Experience can pay big as a team tries to get into the playoffs and if you add a pitcher who knows how to keep a team in games and save the bullpen some innings down the stretch it can mean a lot. I most cases it doesn’t take too much to land one of these type of pitchers in a trade. Possibly a upper to middle of the road type of prospect or a couple of your lower minor league guys can land you one of these pitchers.
Then your team is going to have to look down the road and figure out if it’s better for them to add to add a young starter who they could have some control over for a few years. Or would they be willing to add a starting pitcher who has a few years left on his contract. Maybe they could get that pitchers former team to pick up a little of that contract, but they’ll have to make sure that adding that salary doesn’t affect them down the road. Then of course there’s the rent a player type of acquisition that many of the teams will be looking for. Finding that pitcher who is in the last year of his contract and can be allowed to go out on the free agent market after hopefully helping your team win a World Series.
Now that we’ve checked in on some of the things teams have to think about when looking to make a trade let’s take a look at some of the pitchers that might be available at the trade deadline of before.
Now there aren’t very many true top of the rotation starters that could be dealt and that’s why their price tag will be so high if a deal is made.
The biggest name could be Johnny Cueto if the San Francisco Giants decide that they’re sellers. Injuries and some other issues have caused the Giants to fall 17 1/2 game out 1st place in the N.L. West and Cueto has had a bit of a down year. Cueto is 5-6 in 14 starts and has an E.R.A. of 4.57. Cueto has proven himself in World Series games, but is also carrying a big contract. Cueto is in the 2nd year of a 6 year $130 million dollar deal, but he does have an opt out after this season.
You’ll hear the name of Tampa Bay Rays starter Chris Archer mentioned quite a bit at the trade deadline. Archer’s name came up quite a bit this off season, but the Rays have held on to him. Archer is 28 years old and is 4-4 this season in 14 starts, but has a very good E.R.A. of 3.80. Archer is signed through 2021 with the last two years being option years, but it’s a very affordable contract for a team to add. Archer is making $2.75 million this season and the remainder of his contract totals $35 million dollars. You’ll have to pay a high price to get Archer, but is he worth it to a team?
Jose Quintana has had a down year for the White Sox, but at 28 years old he’ll be a popular pitcher at the trade deadline. Quintana is 3-8 in 14 starts with an E.R.A. of 5.07, but showed signs of being back in form in his last start. Quintana is another young pitcher on what has to be looked at as a low money deal. He’s owed $5.4 million this season and the rest of his contract totals $36.85 million until 2020 which is an option year on his deal. Quintana is another guy who’s going to cost you some top prospects to get and your team will have to decide if he’s the guy they need.
Now this might be a bit of a surprise name that might move, but don’t be shocked if the Pittsburgh Pirates decide to deal Gerrit Cole at the deadline. Cole has made 14 starts and is 4-6 with an E.R.A. of 4.54. Cole is making $3.75 million this season and has two more years of arbitration ahead of him, but that arbitration award could be too high a price tag for a small market team like the Pirates. Cole has had some injuries, but is just 26 years old and is looked at as a #1 starter. Pittsburgh would want quite a bit on return for Cole, but it could be worth it for two and half years him Cole at the top of your rotation.
Do to injuries Sonny Gray isn’t really looked at as a #1 starter anymore, but at 27 years old; is he’s healthy he could be a big add at the trade deadline. Gray has made 9 starts for the Oakland A’s in 2017 and is 2-2 with an E.R.A. of 4.44, but more importantly has looked healthy. Gray is making $3.575 million this season and is arbitration eligible for the nest two seasons; so he could be a cheap option with some control for a contender.
As we move away from guys at the top of the rotation and look for guys who can fill in the middle of the rotation we turn to the Kansas City Royals. Jason Vargas is 34 years old and in his 12th major league season. Vargas is having a good year; he’s 9-3 in 13 starts with an E.R.A. of 2.10. Vargas is also in the last year of his contract which he’s making $8 million this season. There are some other pitchers to look at on the Royals. Ian Kennedy would be a bit of an expensive option as he has 3 years and $49 million dollars left on his deal after this season. Kennedy is 1-6 in 12 starts with an E.R.A. of 5.03. Could Jason Hammel be an option? Hammel is 3-6 in 13 starts with an E.R.A. of 5.05, but is making just $5 million, but does have a second year on his contract which pays him $9 million in 2018.
The Philadelphia Phillies Jeremy Hellickson could be a rent a pitcher type for a team looking for help at the back of their rotation. Hellickson does have a bit of a high price tag as he’s making $17.2 million dollars this season, but it’s the only a one year deal. Hellickson is 5-5 in 14 starts with an E.R.A of 4.91 on a bad Phillies team.
We head back to San Francisco to look at two more guys teams could be interested in adding if the Giants decide to move players. Jeff Samardzija and Matt Moore may draw some interest. Samardzija is 2-9 in 14 starts with an E.R.A. of 4.81, but has been striking out hitters as he has a 10.21 K’s per 9 innings rate. Moore has also made 14 starts and is 2-7 with an E.R.A. of 6.00. Samardzija is signed through 2020 and has a modified no trade clause is his contract and he’s owed $59.4 million after this season. Moore on the other hand is in the final year of his deal, but it does have option years for 2018 and 2019. Moore is making $7 million this season.
I’m sure the Atlanta Braves would listen if any team had interest in R.A. Dickey or Bartolo Colon. Colon is currently injured, but for the most part these two guys make their starts and could eat up some innings for a team. Who knows they might even fair better on a contender. Dickey has made 13 starts and is 4-5 with an E.R.A. of 5.35 while Colon has made 12 starts and is 2-7 with an E.R.A. of 7.78. Dickey is signed for this season at $7.5 million and has an option for 2018 at $8 million if picked up. Colon is only signed for 2017 at $12.5 million dollars.
There’s a look at some of the pitchers who could be available. As we get closer to the trade deadline I’m sure will see more and more names rumored in deals. Do you like one of these pitchers as a fit for your favorite teams rotation? or is there someone else that you want to see them go get? Please let me know in the comments.
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